Winner: Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi added yet another piece to his endless collection on Saturday as Inter Miami won the MLS Cup final. The Argentine has now reached 48 (or 47, for the sticklers) career titles - a record that goes beyond any historical comparison.
It’s his first major triumph in the United States after the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield, and the Eastern Conference title (the latter not universally recognised as a 'title'), confirming that even far away from Europe, his impact remains decisive.
And it doesn’t end there. The final against the Vancouver Whitecaps wrapped up a packed year, but ahead lies a 2026 that could further enrich his trophy cabinet, with new challenges at Miami and the World Cup with Argentina.
Nearly twenty years since his first trophy, Messi continues to reign in the exclusive realm of timeless legends.
Read more: How Inter Miami won the MSL Cup final
Loser: Iker Guarrotxena
In one of the more surreal scenes of the year, FC Goa's Iker Guarrotxena was sent off in the tunnel, under the stunned gaze of his coach and teammates, even before Thursday's Indian Super Cup semi-final had started.
The reason? He was wearing underwear (blue boxers) that didn’t comply with regulations, and according to the referee, he protested too much when asked to change. The result: a red card before even stepping onto the pitch.
At least Goa were able to replace him before kickoff, played with a full squad, and won 2-1 against Mumbai City to reach Sunday's final. Goa then clinched the trophy on penalties against East Bengal, but Guarrotxena, suspended over a pair of wrong boxers, missed out on celebrating his club’s moment of glory.
Winner: Emiliano Buendia
Aston Villa's Argentine playmaker came on in the 86th minute and decided a match that could define his team’s season. Against an Arsenal side unbeaten for over three months, Emi Buendia's goal in the 94th minute was the final verdict amid the chaos in the box before his winning strike - a real pinball moment.
With the win, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa climbed to 30 points and third in the standings, while the Gunners slipped up again. They have just two wins in their last five in the league, and can already feel Manchester City breathing down their necks after their win over Sunderland.
Losers: Fiorentina
La Viola are now a regular in this column - and always among the losers. Fiorentina just keep on sinking, and with worrying consistency. They are bottom of the Serie A table with just two points from the last five matches and zero wins after 14 rounds.
The Paolo Vanoli effect, brought in to turn things around after Stefano Pioli, hasn’t materialised; in fact, the team seems even more fragile under him.
Their 3-1 defeat to Sassuolo sparked protests from the fans. The club has backed the coach but called the performance in Reggio Emilia inadequate. Next Sunday’s clash with Verona is already a crucial turning point. But the feeling is that the club is trapped in a worrying state of confusion.
Winner: Yan Diomande
RB Leipzig's masked man already looks like a veteran, not a 19-year-old in his first Bundesliga season. Against Eintracht Frankfurt, Yan Diomande scored his first career hat-trick in just 18 minutes, all while wearing a protective mask.
The first goal was pure opportunism, the second showed his quality: a well-placed first touch, a quick dribble in tight space, and a left-footed shot to the far post. The third, on the break, confirms his rapidly rising talent.
Three minutes before the final whistle, he earned a well-deserved standing ovation. Leipzig paid just 20 million to Leganes for him, and Diomande is already one of the Bundesliga’s hottest properties.
Losers: The Madrid giants
For Diego Simeone, this is a real crisis for Atletico Madrid: two defeats in four days. First 3-1 at Camp Nou, then 1-0 at San Mames on Saturday. But the most worrying stat is their away form. Atleti have just nine points on the road, with two wins, three draws, and three losses.
Yet the Argentine coach insists that "except for special teams, almost everyone struggles away." A claim the facts don’t support: Villarreal, Betis, and Sevilla have all done better than Atleti on their travels. And after such a lavish summer transfer window for Los Colchoneros, it’s hard to accept comments like that from Cholo.
On the other side of the Manzanarre, Real Madrid, under Xabi Alonso, also stumbled again - this time shockingly beaten 2-0 by Celta Vigo at home. To make matters much worse, there were two inexplicable red cards in the match for Los Blancos, who now have let Barcelona pull away at the top by four points.
Winner: Ethan Mbappe
Even though Kylian didn’t score against Celta, the Mbappe family keep making football headlines. This time, though, it was Ethan, 18, who decided Lille's clash with Marseille on Friday evening with a brilliant goal. A soft touch on the edge of the box, a left-footed shot to the far post, and the match was set after just 10 minutes.
Ethan didn’t just score - he played with real personality, ran, pressed, and helped defensively. Roberto De Zerbi’s team, coming off a 2-2 draw with Toulouse, lost but remain third, now level with Lille. What's more, Marseille managed just two shots on target, a sign of Lille’s solidity.
For Kylian’s younger brother, it was his first big night in Ligue 1, and it feels like it won’t be his last.
Loser: Paulo Gazzaniga
Girona collapsed 3-0 at Elche on Sunday, and goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was once again at the centre of criticism. His nightmare unfolded between the end of the first half and the start of the second: rooted to the spot for the first goal, a major blunder for the second, and a disastrous error for the third, when he literally handed the ball to Rafa Mir, who scored into an empty net.
And to think Elche hadn’t won in seven matches. The truth is, Michel’s team can’t seem to get off the rollercoaster they’ve been on since the start of the season, and what’s worse, their starting goalkeeper - already under fire after recent games - looks to have lost his confidence and composure.
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